Who are we?Community Connections:Housing and Support is a community based program serving adults with serious mental illness who live in Grey and Bruce counties. We provide a variety of services to support people through our offices in Owen Sound and the Community Mental Health Teams in Hanover, Markdale, Wiarton and Southampton. Our workers provide flexible, individualized housing services that are client focussed and based on individual needs and wants.

What do we do?We help provide both a place to live and help to live in the community of your choice through residential programs and community outreach support. Our services include help with finding affordable accommodation and assistance with landlord/tenant problems, skills training, outreach group services and community support.

HOUSING SERVICES include the following:

Residential Programs

Residential programs provide safe, affordable housing and community support for adults with serious mental illness in a supportive environment where skills are taught for independent living. Brooke House located in Owen Sound and the Frank St. Group Home located in Wiarton, emphasize individual strengths with a focus on mutual support and problem solving. Residents share in the life of the home, including meal preparation, chores, goup socials and special events. Staff members support residents in learning skills for everday living. While each tenant has his/her own bedroom, the common living areas are shared. Everyone participates in household chores and meal preparation through a cooperative model that promotes group living by stressing communication and negotiation. Staff support is available 24 hours per day to facilitate co-operative living and provide skill building opportunities in a broad range of areas including basic support, life skill building, enrichment, medication management, crisis management and linking to other supports. Riverview Apartments located in Owen Sound is a six unit apartment building where weekly support is provided for individuals who wish to live independently but with some support from peers and regular staff visits.

The Apartment Program

The Apartment Progam provides rent subsidized housing and outreach support for people with serious mental illness who are homeless or at risk of being homeless and those who have or may come in conflict with the law. Individuals are supported in safe, affordable, private sector apartments through rent subsidies and regular staff visits. Units are located throughout Grey and Bruce counties. Additional housing supports include assistance with housing search and a furnishings bank that allows people to borrow necessary frurnishings for up to one year. Housing Registration Services are also offered to both landords and tenants. This service helps individuals locate and secure decent, affordable accommodation by maintaining lists of landlords and matching people with available housing. Education, information and resources related to landlord tenant issues is also available.

Community Support/Case Management Services

Individualized support is available to people who chose to live anywhere in Grey and Bruce counties including their own apartment, boarding home or with family or friends. Community outreach support is offered in people's homes by housing workers who are deployed to the five Community Mental Health Teams and by members of the Apartment Program's Central team. Workers support clients to achieve successful community living through the development or enhancement of skills in areas including: daily living (meal preparation, grocery shopping, hygiene, medication management, budgeting and financial support) supportive counselling; linking with other formal and informal supports in the broader community; advocacy; social/recreational enrichment and transportation. Supports are flexible and can be increased or decreased based on individual need.

GROUP SUPPORT SERVICES include the following:

Psychosocial/Recreation/Rehabilitation Services

Group Services provides a variety of skills based and social recreational programs such as fitness, sports, culture and artistic expression. Group-based activities are facilitated weekly and there is no cost for most groups. This service is to assist clients reduce social isolation through involvement in integrated community activities. Group members meet with others and learn new skills with the support of staff. Community Connections has several vehicles for the delivery of group services: a central Group Services program, housing workers deployed to the Community Mental Health Teams, residential program staff who operate weekly sports groups and the Green House Drop-In Program.

The Green House Drop - In - Program

Located in Wiarton, this drop in provides social recreation activities and support in a welcome setting to those in the region. The program is open to residents of Grey and Bruce counties who have a mental health issue and who are 18 years of age and older. It provides one to one support for individuals who are interested in getting involved with leisure and social activities in their community. It also provides people a chance to drop in for a visit, coffee or chat. It offers a wide range of social , recreation, education and peer support activities and special events based on participant interests. Operating out of a new building which is shared with the WorkAble program, it offers privacy, security of tenure and bright, clean facilities ideally suited to a range of activities. Scheduled sessions are offered with small groups interested in developing or improving their skills in specific areas including communications, self-discovery, job re-entry, and practical skill areas. The goal is to provide participants with opportunities to develop confidence and experience to cope with real life situations more successfully.

Whom do we serve?Our services are provided to adults living in Grey and Bruce counties who have a serious mental illness.

Is there a cost?Community Connections is funded by the South West Local Health Integrated Network and the Ministry of Housing. The cost of residence is calculated on a "rent-geared-to-income" basis. There is no cost for support services.

Can we help you?If you would like to learn more about our services , please give us a call at (519) 371 2390.

Take a look inside one of our group homes!Click on the pictures below for a larger image and a brief description.